If You Sleep
by Moondoggy
Summary: A mildly depressing li'l songfic. Doesn't really belong in romance. Harry lies unconscious in the hospital wing, with nobody expecting him to pull through. Now Hermione might have to say goodbye. Very, very mild H/H.


A/N: Okay peoplez

_A/N: Okay peoplez. I know this fic is a little fluffy and sappy and not really my best work but hey, I've had writer's block for the past month or so. Also, I know that there's not much of Ron in it and I know that he'd be sad too but it's mainly about Hermione's thoughts and emotions and stuff. Plus I don't really like Ron that much. But I also don't like H/H that much either. I do know that if Harry was beaten up, Madam Pomfrey could heal him, but, ah well. Anyhoo, please review and tell me what you think. Flame me and I will set Norbert on you. _

_ _

Disclaimer: The song belongs to whoever wrote it. (Not me. I find all these song lyrics in my books and stuff.) and Harry Potter belongs to the almighty J.K Rowling. I own nothing but the plot (but even that's probably been done before.) So please don't sue 'cuz I am completely BROKE. 

_ _

If You Sleep

**~Moondoggy~**

Figure of divine perfection

No one's loved with more affection__

** **

Hermione sat sadly beside Harry's bed in the hospital wing. Harry lay unconscious on the white sheets, his face mottled with bruises and cuts. Vernon had finally given Harry the beating he'd always threatened and then left him lying unconscious in the street. Harry had been found by the Weasleys when they came to pick him up and taken to Hogwarts immediately. Now he lay unmoving in the hospital wing, with no one expecting him to wake up. Hermione held his hand in both of hers and cried for her friend. "I love you," she whispered. "Please don't die."

Soul to soul we've breathed

I won't let the fates succeed

She put her head down on the side of Harry's bed and closed her eyes. She dozed off and lay there beside him until Madam Pomfrey woke her and sent her down to dinner. With one last backward glance at her friend, Hermione walked out of the room. But she didn't head down to dinner. Instead, she went up to the library, hoping that there'd be something there that could help Harry. She was determined not to let him die. He was her best friend and she really couldn't imagine life without him. She loved him. Ron would still be there, but he was always busy with his girlfriend, Lavender. Hermione prayed that she'd be able to help Harry, that she'd hear his voice and see him smile again.

Worried hours of contemplation

Whispered bits of conversation

Weeks passed and Hermione spent more and more time in the library and with Harry. Ron began to worry. He often visited Harry too and he was also worried about their friend, but Hermione often was so focused on finding help for Harry that she forgot about everything else, she didn't even bother to come to most lessons anymore. Rumors started to fly around the school. People whispered to each other when she passed. Some thought she was crazy, others thought that it was she who was keeping their hero in a coma. Very few felt sorry for her. But Hermione didn't care; all she cared about was helping Harry. 

Unaffected orderlies

Disinfected rooms and hallways

Hermione wandered into the hospital wing, her robes standing out against the bright white walls. As she neared Harry's bed, she heard voices coming from behind the curtains. She recognized four of the voices. Dumbledore, Mcgonagall, Sirius and Professor Lupin were all there, as well as a stranger whose voice Hermione had never heard before. Tiptoeing closer, she listened intently. They were talking about Harry.

"Surely you must be mistaken. This can't be right." Dumbledore said, sounding older and sadder than ever.

"There's got to be something you can do." Hermione heard Professor Lupin say, his voice wavering. 

"No, I'm sorry. There's nothing that can be done for him. Though his bones are setting and his wounds are healing, he's suffered massive internal bleeding and severe head trauma. He's going to die. No magic can help him now."

"No, please. He's all I have. He can't die." Sirius pleaded hopelessly. 

Hermione stood dumbfounded, listening to Mcgonagall sobbing and Lupin and Sirius saying their goodbyes to a boy who'd been like a son to them. She jumped in fright as Dumbledore and the doctor walked through the curtains and stood facing her. Dumbledore asked Madam Pomfrey to show the doctor out and turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry…" he began.

And if you sleep, you sleep with God

And if I cry it's for my heart

After Dumbledore left, Hermione pulled aside the curtains around Harry's bed. A huge black dog raised its head off its paws and snarled at her. "Hi Sirius. It's only me," she whispered, stroking the thick fur on the dog's head. Sirius whined and got to his feet. "Do you think I could have a moment alone with him? To…to say goodbye?" She asked the dog, who nodded his shaggy head and walked away, his head hanging between his paws. Hermione stared after him for a moment before bursting into tears. She laid her head on Harry's chest and listened to his slow, weakening heartbeat. She cried for hours until she had no more tears left and she fell asleep beside Harry, holding onto his hand tightly. 

Why should I hope to make it through?

'Cause if you sleep, I'll sleep too

The next morning, Hermione awoke to find herself lying in the hospital wing, her head resting on Harry's shoulder. She looked around, confused for a moment, before the previous night's events came flooding back to her. She started to cry again and she leaned her head back down onto Harry's chest, only to hear that the weak heartbeat that was there last night had stopped. "No," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Please God, no." She laid her head down on Harry's chest again, listening carefully for a heartbeat. There was nothing. He was cold and lifeless. The Boy-who-lived lived no more. He had died, not at Voldemort's hand, but at the hand of the only living relatives he had. Hermione looked up, hearing the sound of claws clicking against the tiles. Hermione stiffened and looked fearfully at the large silhouette behind the curtains but she relaxed a little when she saw Sirius pad in. Sirius had one look at Hermione's tear-streaked face and he knew. He walked over to Harry's bed and stood on his hind legs, putting his front paws on Harry's bed and staring sadly at his still form. Hermione absently stroked his fur and let her tears fall as they both stared at the cold, still figure among the white sheets. 

Jagged thorns and pretty petals

Butterflies and stinging nettles

Hermione walked slowly down to breakfast for the first time in weeks. All the other students stepped out of her way, whispering and glancing in her direction. She sat silently at her usual spot beside Ron, who stopped flirting with Lavender and turned to her. "How's Harry?" He asked. Hermione just looked down at the table and tears slid down her cheeks. Ron went pale and asked slowly, "Is he…Is Harry…" He stammered, unable to finish the question. Hermione just nodded. Ron stared silently ahead, tears welling in his eyes. Dumbledore walked past the two Gryffindors and glanced in Hermione's direction. She caught his eye and Dumbledore nodded sadly. He walked up to the teacher's table and cleared his throat. "Students and teachers, I am sad to inform you all that Harry Potter has died. He died of injuries inflicted on him by his relatives, the Dursleys. Harry was a brave and loyal friend to us all and he will be missed greatly…" Dumbledore trailed off, unable to continue. Professor Lupin laid his head down on his hands and wept and even Snape looked troubled. Professor Mcgonagall stood up and said, "let us bow our heads and have a minute's silence to remember Harry Potter." She blinked back tears as everyone, except half the Slytherins, bowed their heads. Flitwick shot black ribbons out of his wand, letting them float gracefully around the room. Lupin shot red and gold roses from his wand and they fell softly over the bowed heads of hundreds of Hogwarts students and staff.

Sunny days and nights of blackness

But where's the joy to hide my sadness

The day wore on slowly and most students went on with their lessons. Even Ron, though he only used schoolwork as a distraction from his pain. Hermione spent the day down by the lake, sitting beneath the trees, staring out at the glassy surface of the water. She kept away from Hagrid's cabin, where he was howling and crying inside. She wanted to mourn alone, without hearing other people's pain. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back against the rough bark of the old oak tree. The warm sun shone down on the lake, making it glitter like it was full of millions of diamonds. Hermione was oblivious to the beautiful sight, her mind full of memories of better days. 

And if you sleep, you sleep with God

And if I cry, it's for my heart

Hermione stayed out there even after the sun had set and the stars had come out. She stood staring up at the glittering pinpoints of light in the night sky, tears welling in her eyes. "I thought I'd find you here." Hermione looked up to see Sirius walking towards her. Though he was now recognizable as the handsome man in one of Harry's photographs, the haunted look Azkaban had given him was still there in his eyes. His face was tear streaked and pale. He came and stood by Hermione, gazing up at the stars. "Lily, Harry's mother, loved looking at the stars." He said quietly, almost like he was talking to himself rather than Hermione. "She told me once that the starlight we see is billions of years old. The stars we're looking at now are long dead. But their light keeps shining forever. It never dies. Maybe it's the only thing that never does. She believed that that was where souls reside." Sirius trailed off and continued to stare at the star-studded sky in silence. A tear trickled down Hermione's cheek. "I hope she's right." She whispered, gazing up at the starry sky.

Why should I hope to make it through?

'Cause if you sleep, I'll sleep too

Hermione stood out there for hours. Even after Sirius left, She stayed out by the lake, staring at the stars and wondering if that was really where heaven was. If that was where Harry was. Only when the sun began to rise did she turn and walk back up to the castle to prepare for Harry's funeral.

Gleaming cards and covered faces

Teary eyes in hallowed places

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust" The priest said solemnly. Almost the entire magical community had gathered in the cemetery to mourn the loss of their hero, Harry Potter. Hermione stood far apart from the crowd, instead choosing to watch the ceremony from a large hill at the center of the graveyard. "We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived. As we deliver his body to its final resting place, we pray that the Lord will deliver his soul into Heaven so that he can finally be at peace." The priest finished and Dumbledore and Mcgonagall lowered Harry's coffin into the ground using magic. Several aurors and ministry wizards pointed their wands at the cloudy sky and fired a blast of red and gold sparks over the heads of the mourners. 

Grass and granite stone

No one's been more all-alone

The crowd began to thin as people started to leave and go to wherever it was they had to be. Once everyone had left, Hermione came down from her spot on the hill and knelt before Harry's grave. The granite headstone bore a carving of a roaring lion and Harry's name, nothing else. Hermione started to cry. She felt more alone than ever. Thunder boomed overhead and rain started to fall.

And if you sleep, you sleep with God

Hermione whispered something to the grave. "I love you, Harry. I always have. Rest in peace."

And if I cry, it's for my heart

Tears slid down her face, mingling with the rain, as Hermione got to her feet and turned away from the grave and headed back to Hogwarts.

Why should I hope to make it through?

Hermione walked through the halls of Hogwarts and out onto the grounds. The clouds had cleared and she gazed up at the starry sky one last time. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small glass bottle full of a bluish potion. Sitting down underneath the oak tree, Hermione swallowed the poison in one gulp and leaned back against the tree, staring up at the stars. "I'm coming Harry." She whispered as her eyes began to flutter closed. Then, her world went dark and Hermione Granger went to join the boy she loved in Heaven. 

'Cause if you sleep, I'll sleep too


End file.
